T'lan Imass
The T'lan Imass, also known to some as the Silent Host, were a race of undead humanoids. Their immortality was achieved via the Ritual of Tellann approximately 300 000 years prior to the main events of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, transforming the mortal Imass, one of the four Founding RacesGardens of the Moon, Glossary, UK MMPB p.705, into the undead T'lan Imass. The Imass chose to undergo the ritual in order to be more efficient in their war of extermination with the Jaghut. As mortals, the Imass were scattered, their unity lost. They could not cross the ice barriers of the Jaghut. There was starvation. As Tellann undead, the armies could cross such obstacles. Some Imass did not take part in the original ritual, either choosing to remain mortal or arriving too late. Of those who chose to remain mortal, some later took part in a second evocation of the ritual which was only partially successful (see Brold ). Those who participated in the ritual resembled walking mummified corpses. They could travel great distances with incredible speed by becoming one with the earth beneath their feet. This also enabled them to seemingly materialize out of nowhere to ambush their prey. They could also cross bodies of water, but could only find their shape on land. Mundane senses had for the most part withered along with the flesh. Through the shadowed orbits of (Onrack's) eyes, for example, the world was a complex collage of dull colours, heat and cold and often measured by an unerring sensitivity to motion. Spoken words swirled in mercurial clouds of breath - if the speaker lived, that is. If not, then it was the sound itself that was detectable, shivering its way through the air. Onrack sensed sound as much by sight as by hearing. They communicated with each other mostly by thought/telepathy which was no longer possible if they were severed from the ritual as Onrack was. Dissolution in water was the only escape possible from the eternal ritual. Some were known to have chosen that path as, even when cut to pieces, each part was still sentient. Using body parts from other T'lan Imass to 'patch oneself up' was possible but was looked upon as the greatest abomination, the most dire twisting of the powers of Tellann. The T'lan Imas abhorred failure. Anyone too shattered to remain with their kin was left behind. Failure's sentence was abandonment, an eternity of immobility. When failure was honourable, their sentient remnants were placed open to the sky, to vistas, to the outside world, so that they might find peace in watching the passing of eons. Dishonourable behaviour was punished by severing the head from the body, dismembering the headless corpse and scattering the limbs. Weapons would be taken and returned to the place of birth. The T'lan Imass users of magic were called Bonecasters. The war with the Jaghut was costly. Many of the armies sent out were decimated. The remaining T'lan Imass included: the Logros, Kron, Bentract, Kerluhm, Ifayle and Orshayne. The Logros T'lan Imass The Logros were tasked with remaining at the site of the First Empire and guarding the First Throne against any threats. Shortly before the founding of the Malazan Empire, the Logros were awakened by Kellanved when he located and took control of the First Throne. They served the Malazan Empire until shortly after the Emperor's death whereupon they traveled into the Jhag Odhan to hunt newly discovered Jaghut. Following that Jaghut War, they began hunting the Seven of the Dead Fires who were traveling across Seven Cities and through the Nascent. Onos T'oolan was the First Sword of the Logros T'lan Imass. Known clans within the Logros included: * Tarad * L'echae Shayn The Kron T'lan Imass The Kron T'lan Imass were the largest army to attend the Second Gathering called by Silverfox. At her behest, they stood against the K'Chain Che'Malle in the Pannion War following the Battle of Black Coral. The Bentract T'lan Imass Olar Ethil was sent off by Logrosto search for remaining T'lan Imass armies. She believed four remaining clans of Bentract T'lan Imass were on Jacuruku, trapped within the Warren of Chaos. She could not find them however. A Bentract clan was found in the Refugium. The Kerluhm T'lan Imass Roughly eight months prior to the Second Gathering, the Kerluhm entered into a war against human opposition on the continent of Assail. The army had since been annihilated and it was believed that Lanas Tog, sent by Kerluhm to the Second Gathering, was the last of them. The Ifayle T'lan Imass The Ifayle joined the Kerluhm in the war on Assail and, as of the Second Gathering, there was still a small number of them unable to withdraw from the engagement. The Orshayn T'lan Imass Three broken clans - Six hundred and twelve warriors and three damaged Bonecasters were left, having fled The Spires. The Brold T'lan Imass Descendants of a group of Imass that did not participate in the Ritual of Tellann, located on the continent of Lether. Later on, they did attempt their own Ritual of Tellann, however. T'lan Imass relationship with Soletaken and D'ivers Notes and References Category:Imass Category:T'lan Imass pl:T’lan Imassowie